With the approach of summer, world
media have begun to investigate the cutting-edge
sustainable indigenous forest management developed and
implemented by Timberlands.

National Geographic Magazine
is reported as preparing to commission a series of articles
about biodiversity, conservation and significant recent
action, and a London-based writer is understood to be
examining the potential of the West Coast forest management
recent history for this series.

At the moment, a BBC
location crew of about 80 is investigating potential
subjects at Saltwater and Okarito forests, and near Hokitika
for a big BBC documentary, reported Barry Nicolle chairman
of Coast Action Network, the body set up to provide some
ginger into getting business working on the Coast. He has
been helping them with their investigation.

"Fingers
crossed we get it here." he said. The filming should be a
good boost to local business.

Finally, he reported that
a Danish TV crew has recently spent time at Saltwater
forest, filming the minimal-impact helicopter logging done
by Timberlands as an integral part of sustainable forest
management. He said that they had captured the entire
sequence of the operation on film - from selection,
felling, helicopter lifting, through to processing for
high-value product, and he had helped coordinate forestry
operations to assist with the filming.

Former operations
manager for Timberlands West Coast Ltd, Mr Kit Richards,
took some time out of his busy consultancy schedule to
explain to the crew in detail the basis and working of the
sustainable management process and helped interpret the
field work for them. The television team were very
impressed with the competence of the work and were
absolutely amazed to learn that the work and expertise is
about to be discarded, Barry added. They found it difficult
to understand how scientific and management advances which
set an example for the world could be negated in an
educated country.

Explanation of the local
decision-making scene also covered just how New Zealand,
once a world-leader in social and political enlightenment,
has now regressed to the point that regional contracts or
accords can be broken by central government apparently
without any ethical disquiet.

“They learned about the
forthcoming impact on the economy and lives of West
Coasters who depend on this sustainable work, and how the
furniture industry of New Zealand will soon be deprived of
New Zealand indigenous wood and will be compelled to resort
to using timber logged unsustainably in prime forests
overseas.” said Mr Nicolle. New Zealand already imports
about $1,100 million worth per annum of forest products
including furniture and timber for furniture manufacture,
and they understood how this will increase.

Next year,
Scandinavian television throughout Denmark, Norway, Finland
and Sweden will see seven 30-minute programmes on New
Zealand, covering daily lives of New Zealanders in a style
reminiscent of the Heartland series we are familiar with
here. West Coast indigenous forest management will be a
significant part of this series. Millions of viewers will
see the programmes, the TV crew told Mr Nicolle.

Mr
Nicolle added that it has been a great opportunity to show
the history and beauty of the West Coast to the world, and
the TV team had finished off their tour by visiting Reefton
and Waiuta before leaving New Zealand via Christchurch. The
BBC filming is likely to give even greater coverage due to
its length.

It will be surprising if the Danish material
is not shown elsewhere in Europe and the world. It could be
a tidy earner for them with other countries wanting to
learn by seeing how New Zealand forestry practitioners
developed and implemented sustainable forestry methods to
perpetuate the forest, enhance endangered biota, and
provide a potentially perpetual yield of high-value timber
for New Zealand.

One has to wonder how it is, that while
overseas media see the importance of this New Zealand
example of sustainability in action, domestic television
has been quite unable to.
...............................................................................................................
Brian Swale is a forestry professional who supports the
practice of environmentally sound sustainable forestry.
He can be contacted at
http://www.caverock.net.nz/~bj/beech/ and 03-326- 7447.

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